Chuck Howard, IOA's First Executive Director, to Retire

Charles Howard, the leading advocate for Organizational Ombuds, will step down as the inaugural Executive Director of the International Ombudsman Association at the end of the year. During his four decades as a litigator, he often served as independent counsel and consultant for Ombuds. In 2010, he wrote a landmark legal guide for the profession, which was published by the American Bar Association. After he retired from active practice, Howard became IOA's first Executive Director in September 2019. Since then, he has helped guide the IOA Board of Directors through a series of challenges, not the least of which was the association's response to the coronavirus pandemic. During his career, Howard spoke out about the flawed Ombuds program at BP, encouraged public school districts to adopt Ombuds programs, advised the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, defended the embattled Ombuds at the University of Mississippi, and urged IOA members to update the association's bylaws. 

Chuck Howard Tapped as IOA's Inaugural Executive Director

In an announcement last night, the International Ombudsman Association Board announced that Charles Howard will become the inaugural Executive Director starting next month. He is expected to be, "the public champion and representative for the IOA, its members, and the organizational ombudsman profession." This is a momentous development. An attorney by profession, Howard has been the leading advocate for Organizational Ombuds for decades and authored the definitive legal treatise. 

Tweets Offers Perspective on 2010 IOA Conference

This year, a Twitter hashtag (#IOA2010) for the IOA conference in New Orleans offered attendees and non-attendees a way to follow tweets about the event. Several IOA conference goers tweeted their impressions, including DA Graham (daspokesman), Lisa Witzler (PONLisa) and Andre Marin (Ont_Ombudsman). Although they did not attend, John Zinsser (ConBenAlchemist) and Lynn Connley (LynnConnley) also joined in the conversation.

IOA Denounces University of Mississippi's Treatment of Ombuds

The International Ombudsman Association has issued another, much stronger statement on situation involving the UM University Ombuds. Chuck Howard, IOA's Executive Director, and Melanie Jagneaux, IOA's Board President, said the university's appointment of an interim Ombuds was flawed in multiple ways and said that it appeared the permanent Ombuds, Paul Caffera, was facing retaliation for protecting the confidentiality of his work. Chuck Howard promised to continue monitoring the case.

Spoken in Confidence Podcast: Chuck Howard Talks About Ombuds Confidentiality

Sana Manjeshwar’s Spoken in Confidence podcast released a new episode on Ombuds Day, featuring Chuck Howard, widely recognized as a leading legal authority on Ombuds confidentiality in the United States. Howard’s introduction to the profession came in 1990, when he successfully defended an Organizational Ombuds office in a federal court case, asserting a confidentiality privilege grounded in Federal Rule of Evidence 501 and an implied contract of confidentiality. 

Second Book by Chuck Howard Explores the 'Hows and Whys' of Ombuds Work

The American Bar Association has announced the publication of A Practical Guide to Organizational Ombuds: How They Help People and Organizations by Charles Howard. In 2010, Howard wrote the first comprehensive legal guide about Organizational Ombuds. That book, The Organizational Ombudsman: Origins, Roles and Operations-A Legal Guide, immediately became a critical resource for practitioners and those who interact with them, especially in-house counsel and other attorneys. At the time, Howard was an attorney with long list of Ombuds clients. Since then, he transitioned from law practice to become the International Ombudsman Association's first Executive Director, where he continued his advocacy for the profession. News of the publication comes just before Howard will retire from his position with IOA.

Crafting Solutions to Conflict Podcast Spotlights Chuck Howard

The Executive Director of the International Ombudsman Association sat down for a conversation with podcaster (and mediator and coach) Jane Beddall last week. Over the half hour chat, Howard talked about his own background and the history of the Ombuds field. It's a very good synopsis by one of the profession's leading experts. (Crafting Solutions Podcast.)

Enjoy Mediation Blog: Interview With Chuck Howard

Jeff Thompson, a conflict expert in NY who writes the Enjoy Mediation Blog, has posted a 19-minute interview with Chuck Howard, author of The Organizational Ombudsman.

Chuck Howard: Audit Standards Should Prompt More Knowledge of Ombuds

In an article for the Hartford Business Journal, attorney Charles Howard points out that Auditing Standard 314 mandates that an auditor have a sufficient understanding of an entity and its environment to assess the risk of material misstatement of financial statements. Howard argues that auditors therefore should know more about how Organizational Ombuds help an entity surface and resolve workplace issues that might not otherwise get reported.

IOA Opens Search for Next Executive Director

The International Ombudsman Association seeks applicants for its next Executive Director. The search will fill a position vacated by Chuck Howard, IOA's first Executive Director. During his two-year tenure, he was an advocate for the Ombuds profession and also pushed the member-driven association to adopt needed reforms. The position reports to the IOA Board of Directors and works in partnership with the association's management staff at SBI. One important change is that the position is now full-time. 

IOA Selects New Executive Director

Next month, Ellen Miller, currently the Executive Director of the California Lawyers Foundation, will become the next leader of the International Ombuds Association seeks applicants for its next Executive Director. Her appointment culminates a national, four-month search to a position vacated by Chuck Howard, IOA's first Executive Director. Miller brings a wide range of non-profit leadership and dispute resolution to the post.

Marquette University Ombuds Sponsors Whistleblower Program With Chuck Howard

On October 13, Kerry Egdorf, the Marquette University Ombuds and the MULS Dispute Resolution Society will present: "Blowing the Whistle on Whistleblower Laws and Policies," with attorney Chuck Howard. The program will explore how fear of retaliation limits the effectiveness of whistleblower laws and policies.

Chuck Howard to Address Houston Bar

The professional association for lawyers in the Houston area will host Charles Howard for a one-hour virtual presentation on January 23, 2023. Howard, who is the past Executive Director of IOA and author of A Practical Guide to Organizational Ombuds, will speak on "Comparing Ombuds and Mediation Services." The event is free and appears to be open to the public. 

IOA Posts Agenda for 2014 Conference in Denver

Registration is now open for the International Ombudsman Association's Ninth Annual Conference at the Sheraton Denver Downtown April 4-9, 2014.  The priority registration closes on March 14 and the hotel group discount deadline is March 15.  

Journal of IOA: Why Ombuds Need a Charter

A new article in the Journal of the International Ombuds Association explains "What an Ombuds Charter is and Why it Matters." The authors are Chuck Howard (attorney and Ombuds consultant; former Executive Director of IOA, and Chuck Doran, CO-OP (outsourced Ombuds and Executive Director/Founder of MWI). They urge Ombuds to have a comprehensive written document that defines the role and relationship between Ombuds and the organization is serves. The article covers the benefits to all parties.

Chuck Howard Article for Constitution Daily

The leading attorney for Organizational Ombuds has written an article for the National Constitution Center’s blog. As he has in other pieces, Howard explains the incentives that discourage people from reporting workplace misconduct. He concludes that more Ombuds would fill the governmental need for corporate governance reform while safeguarding the interests of individuals.

IOA's New Executive Director Writes First Advocacy Article

On Monday, Bloomberg Law Insight published an article by IOA’s new Executive Director, Chuck Howard. In the piece, Howard explains how Organizational Ombuds programs can protect whistleblowers and help organizations by providing a safe and confidential resource to surface issues. The full article, "Avoid Being a Whistleblower With Safe Place Ombudsman Programs," is available online. (BLI.)

Eaton Ombuds to Present Program on Running a Global Office

On April 14, Ilene Butensky and Sophia Qiao will speak at the American Bar Association's Dispute Resolution Section annual conference in Denver. Along with Chuck Howard, the two Ombuds for Eaton Corporation will discuss, "Implementing a Global Corporate Dispute Resolution Program."

SVNACD Interview with Chuck Howard: The Corporate Ombudsman: A Strategy To Detect and Stop Corporate Wrongdoing"

The Silicon Valley Chapter of the National Association of Corporate Directors has posted a conversation between Dan Siciliano, Associate Dean, Stanford Law School, and Chuck Howard, author of “The Organizational Ombudsman: Origins, Roles and Operations — A Legal Guide.” Howard explains why Ombuds are an important supplement to formal corporate structures, especially whisleblower programs. (SVNACD Video Podcast.)

Chuck Howard Will Speak at Princeton

The author of The Organizational Ombudsman: Origins, Roles and Operations-A Legal Guide will present a talk titled "Bridging the Gap ... Creating a Fair and Impartial Culture" on November 23, 2010. The event is sponsored by the Princeton University Ombuds, DA Graham, and will focus on how people in large organizations and the organizations themselves report misconduct and resolve conflict.